A8-3520M vs Atom N550

A8-3520M

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2011

Atom N550

2 Cores4 Thrd9 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A8-3520M

4 / 4

1,441

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom N550

2 / 4

1,435

0.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A8-3520M is positioned at rank 806 and the Atom N550 is on rank 618, so the Atom N550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar A8-3520M

#794

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1221%

#795

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1204%

#796

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1105%

#797

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1100%

#798

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1090%

#800

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1052%

#801

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1009%

#802

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1007%

#803

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

980%

#806

A8-3520M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#809

Athlon II M320

MSRP: $75|Avg: $15

100%

#810

Celeron B800

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

99%

#811

Celeron B710

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#812

Athlon II Neo K345

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

99%

#818

Core i7-8709G

MSRP: $338|Avg: $150

98%

#819

Celeron M 560

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom N550

#605

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

818%

#606

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

806%

#607

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

740%

#608

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

736%

#609

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

730%

#611

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

705%

#612

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

676%

#613

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

674%

#614

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

656%

#618

Atom N550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#621

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

99%

#624

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#627

Core i5-1335UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The A8-3520M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Atom N550 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	A8-3520M	Atom N550
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pineview (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	A8-3520M	Atom N550
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

A8-3520M Benchmark Check

Atom N550 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A8-3520M and Atom N550

A8-3520M

The A8-3520M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,441 points. Launch price was $90.

Atom N550

The Atom N550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pineview (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,435 points. Launch price was $86.

⚡

Processing Power

The A8-3520M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Atom N550 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A8-3520M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A8-3520M versus 1.5 GHz on the Atom N550 — a 50% clock advantage for the A8-3520M (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The A8-3520M uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Atom N550 uses Pineview (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A8-3520M scores 1,441 against the Atom N550's 1,435 — a 0.4% lead for the A8-3520M. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	A8-3520M	Atom N550
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+67%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz+7%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Pineview (2009−2011)
PassMark	1,441	1,435
Geekbench 6 Single	255	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A8-3520M uses the FS1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom N550 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The A8-3520M supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (A8-3520M) vs 1 (Atom N550). PCIe lanes: 20 (A8-3520M) vs 0 (Atom N550) — the A8-3520M offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	A8-3520M	Atom N550
Socket	FS1	FCBGA559
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-667
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+700%	2 GB
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	20	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A8-3520M) / not specified (Atom N550). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 6620G (A8-3520M) and Intel GMA 3150 (Atom N550) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3520M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A8-3520M rivals Core i3-2330M.